Syn.: Dasystephana affinis (Griseb.) Rydb., Dasystephana forwoodii (A. Gray) Rydb., Dasystephana interrupta (Greene) Rydb., Dasystephana menziesii (Griseb.) Arthur, Dasystephana oregana (Engelm. ex A. Gray) Rydb., Dasystephana oxyloba Greene, Gentiana bigelowii A. Gray, Gentiana forwoodii A. Gray, Gentiana interrupta Greene, Gentiana oregana Engelm. ex A. Gray, Pneumonanthe affinis (Griseb.) Greene, Pneumonanthe forwoodii (A. Gray) Greene, Pneumonanthe interrupta (Greene) Greene, Pneumonanthe menziesii (Griseb.) Greene, Pneumonanthe oregana (Engelm. ex A. Gray) Greene
Family: Gentianaceae Juss.
Distribution: North American species found mainly in the western half of the continent, from Northwest Territories and from British Columbia to Manitoba in Canada and in US westward to the Pacific from Minnesota, Wyoming, Colorado and Texas with some occurrence in north Mexico.
Ecology: Moist open, grassy sites along streams, wet meadows, open forests, in elevations up to 2300 m. Blooms in July and August.
Description: Perennial herb, 10–35 cm tall, from a relatively thick rhizome. Stems single to many, ascending to erect, with opposite leaves, oval to narrowly lanceolate, sessile, 1–4 cm long and 0.5–1 cm wide, margins smooth, sometimes hairy. Flowers from axils of leaves at the top, single or in small clusters, short pedicelate, pentamerous, calyx tubular, tube 3–9 mm long with 4–6 mm, pointed lobes; corolla funnel-shaped, 2–3 cm long, light blue to deep blue, with small silvery spots of variable intensity from plant to plant and from season to season, ovoid tips spreading, stamens shorter than corolla. Fruit is a capsule, seeds flat, ellipsoid.
These images were taken in Canada, Alberta, Calgary, Griffith Woods (by Karel Bergmann: August 24, 2011 and August 10, 2015), and Canada, Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park (by Alena Vydrová, July 29, 2007).
